Machine for positioning and cutting fish.



I'. D. CLEVELAND.

MACHINE FOR POSITIONING AND CUTTING FISE APPLIGATION FILED MAY 14,1913.

Patented Jan. 19, 1

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 ,NEEN

F. D. CLEVELAND. MACHINE FOR POSITIONING AND CUTTING FISH.

APPLIGATION FTLED MAY 14, 1913,

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

incassa Y UNTEDSTATES PATENT onirica.

Y IBANCISnD, CLEVELAND, '0F WINCHESTER, HASSCHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM FU'NDIliiI'ifWQOD COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA.-

' cnusnmms.

i To all whom it may concern:

sides,

vthe bodies after the fish have been positioned. Iii positioning the ish an endless chain conveyer is utilized, the iish being de- A livered to pockets in` the periphery of said endless conveyer and carried through a tank of water. By tliisineans the iish, as" they are 'pushed through the Water sidewise by the partitions between the pockets of the endless conveyei, will tend to move in the direction in which their heads are pointed and npagainst gages on opposite sides of said conveyer, so that by the time that the fish havek been pushed through the tank of Water by the conveyer they will be positioned with their heads up against the gages on opposite respectively, of the-conveyer, in readiness to have the heads and tails severed by suitable cutting means, preferably rotary cutters, located at the delivery end of said tank.l

In addition to the chain conveyer it is y i vsometimes preferable to have the fish delivered to the chain conveyer by a rotary conveyer which -is also combined with a receptacle adapted to contain water, constis toting a. shield ortaiik, located at .the under side of the rotary conveyer, whereby the fiso n" are partly positioned before they are de- .livered to the conveyer.

i f The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2 -2 of Fig. -1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Trike `numerals refer to like par. throughout the several views of the drawings.

In' the drawings, 6 is the frame of vthe machine, 7 is a rotary carrier with pockets 8 opening out of the periphery thereof and -Mncnm-Em PosrrIoNINo Aim comme FISH.

L Specieaton of Letters Intent.

Patented Jain. 19, 1915.

appinasun med' nay-14, 191s. semi es. 767,642.

separated from each other by partitions 9, said pockets adapted to contain fish, the fish being fed into said pockets by an inclined chute 10 to which water is supplied by a pipe 11 to assist in floating the fish into said pockets. y'llhe fish and the water enter the pockets 8 and the cai-riez' is rotated by a pullev 12 fast to a shaft 153, to which shaft the rotary carrier 7 is also fastened. The

shaft 13 is joiirnaled in suitable bearings 14 in the frame of the machine. The pockets 8 extend transversely of the rotary carrier7 and-of the direction of movement of said carrier, The carrier is adapted to be moved in the direction of the arrow o (Fig. 1

A shield 15, adapted to-contain water, is located beneath lthe carrier 7 with its vinner face adjacent to the periphery thereof. Said shield extends on opposite sides of a vertical plane containing the median axial line of the rotary carrier 7, so that the same is adapted to hold a body of water 16 therein. The pockets S are closed at their opposite ends by vertical flanges 17 and 18 to which the shield is fastened. These {ianges constitute gages against which the heads ot -tlie fish rest when they become positioned in the pockets 8 or in the pocketsof the endlessconveyer hereinafter described.

. An endless chain conveyer 19 is provided consisting of a series of links 20 and having pockets 21 opening out of its periphery, separated from each other by imperforate partitions 22. The endless chain conveyer is' driven by sprockets 23 and 24 fast to shafts 25 and 26, respectively, which shafts are journaled to rotate in suitable bearings 27 and 28 'in the frame of the machine. The shaft 25 is rotated in the direction of the arrow b by a gear 29 fast to said shaft and meshing into a gear 30 fast to the shaft 13.

The endless chain conveyer 19 moves in the direction of the arrowc and the pockets 21 extend transversely thereof and transversely of the direction of motion of said conveyer. The conveyer is arranged to move-through a tank 31 having a bottom 32 curved at its opposite ends to extend partly around the sprockets 23 and 24, said bottoni being fastened to thc vertical anges 17 and 18. These vertical flanges close the opposite ends of the pockets 21 and` constitute gages, afi-horeinbefore described.

iif'iirdif/ into the hodjv o of i Slim L'- tiite hic nh ii ft i on the* ein ed ii ere corri oi' iii the t i' 'ie ir heef-is rest inicios ii'iiy he (ned, portion of i 'timeout te ed initii 'ii-i. es the c" l. th c he herr pro i d.

conveyor eine pre v toiiigcntifil icreto on( i i the shield i that the ii n'iiy' he dem@ om the 'rotary ciiri'ier to the ni'iless lows t chiite l`"i :fi pine ifi so that seid chiite .find

ev turn end 1 i'ivise of f toe medien i d rotary cnrof ti'ie (ifm) rim: .i

arrow o1 curi-w into the shield :ire it shed througli the i the bottoni of the shield .Y i-:iiiy move in the direction ii heads pointed and ti'iivzirel i ie fish :ire pushed by mt o the siiield 'i Ii find into lr ,iilcss chem conveyor i of lire carried, hy it yor nieves in the directif :v n cnil the iiioiind the sproa toni fifi or he tir: l" iL ,i= pushed :ilorii thronoii'i the 'pertitioii ,Y of i theyv Wiil nieve in their hoods orc poii'itci rest iio'ni'iist the opp ute i respcctiv if' of waiter hy iii; conveyorn i "cticii in fivhich il the rotary cutters by seid perticoiperu"` 5 witii the 'iipivsrrijllf m e end portion of the bottone o. said ten. 211..) the heads sind teils being severed t oreiioi'n rind "passing down the chiite 40 to the receptacle 41]., While the bodies pass down the chiite 38 into the receptacle 39.

l'ifeving thus described my invention, what I cifiini and desire by Letters Patent to is:

l'. A machine-for positioning fish having, in combination, e fish carrier consisting of en endless chain conveyor, ineens adapted to :more seid conveyci.' in :1` given, direction, conveyor having e. series of pockets ,ii sides formed hy impeirforiite partitions .riding trziiisverseiy thereof 4and of the of movement of seid conveyer, o poe ets opening ont of the periphery of .ooit collifryerl and e, fish [.iositioniiig teiik iideptcd to holifl vreter tlii'ongi'i which mid cciiveyei." is fidnpted to the inner fece of the bottom of seid toni; heing iii close proin'iity to the periphery of said con' veyer, y

E2. A machine for positioning fish having, in combination, e pair of sprocket Wheels, en endless chain conveyor, movable in e given direction and engaging said sprockets, seid f er having n series of pockets ii'itli sides crined hy iniperfornte partitions er' sling: ti'onsversely thereof sind of the direction of inoven'ient of-seid coiiveyer, said noch opeiiing out of the periphery of seid conveyorj :rnd :i fish positioning trink adepteri. to heid rmter through which seid conveyer ediipted to pass, the inner ffice of the bottoni of seid tank being .located hencetli seid. conveyor and in close proximity to the periphery thereof.

3. A machine for positioning fish having, in combination, it pair of sprocket wheels, 'n endless chiiin conveyor, move-ble in a.

on direction and enge ging seid sprockets, conveyor having .fi series of pockets riots side formed hy .iniperfoi'cte partitions cxtendinif treneif'ersely thereof and of the directioi of movement of seid conveyor, said pockets opening ont of tln` periphery of said conveyer, find :i fish positioningr tank adapted to hold ter through which said convcyer is adopted `to poss, the inner face of the bottom of .seid tiinlr being located be-V neath seid conveyor and in close proximity `to the periphery thereof and extending upmaaeee pockets opening ont of the peripher' of said conveyer, a fish positioning tank a apted to hold Water. through which said conveyer is adaptedfto pass, Vthe inner tace of the bottom of'isaid tank being located beneath Asaid conveyer and in close proximity to the pel riphery thereof' and extending upwardly at around said eed fish to said direction of movement of said conveyer,`

said pockets opening out of the periphery of said' conveyer, a fish positioning tank` adapted to hold Water through which said conveyer is adapted to pass, the inner face of the bottom of said tank being in close .proximity to the periphery of said conveyer, and means to feed ish into said pockets.

" '5. A, machine for cutting ish having, in combination, aiish carrier consisting of an endless. chain conveyer, means adapted to move said conveyer 1n a given direction, said conveyer having a series o pockets with sides'ormed by imperoratepartitions extending transversely thereof oi the 'direction' oi" movement of said conveyer,

" .,said pockets opening out of the periphery #Hof-said conveyer, a tish positioning tank adapted to hold Water through which said p conveyer is adapted to pass, the inner face of the bot-tom of said tank being in close proximity to the periphery of said conveyer, means to feedfish into said pockets, a cutter projecting into said pockets and into slots provided in said ytank and in said conveyer and mechanism to move said cutter transversely of said pockets.

7. A machine for cutting'iish having, in combination, a ish carrier consisting of an endless chain' conveyer, means adapted to move said conveyer in a given direction, said conveyer having a series of pockets with 'sides formed by imperorate partitions extending transversely thereof and of the direction of movement of said conveyer, said pockets opening out of the periphery of said conveyer, a ish positioning tank adapted to hold Water through which said conveyer is adapted to pass, the inner face of the bottom of said tank being in close proximity to the periphery of said conveyer, means to feed fish into said pockets, gages atI opposite ends, respectively, of said pockets, a cutter projecting into said pockets and into slots provided in said tank and in said conveyer and mechanism to move said cutter transversely of said pockets.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. i,

, FRANCIS D. CLEVELAND. lWitnesses CHARLES S. GoomNG, SYDNEY E.' TAFI. 

